Warning: you are now entering a Wii Fanboy nostalgia zone; if we get wrapped up in jabbering about our wholesome childhoods over the next 200 words, you've been warned. The cause of this trip down memory lane? The announcement that Tomy would be bringing a Pop-Up Pirate game to WiiWare. Yay!
Pop-Up Pirate Wii will emulate the pop-ular children's board/party game, in which players would hold their breath (that bit is optional, but helps) while inserting plastic swords into a plastic barrel containing a pirate. If you chose the wrong slot, the pirate would spring out, startling everybody. As dull as it sounds now we've written it down, it was all the rage back in the '80s, before those damn computer videogame whatchoomacallits came along and ruined everything.
Like other board games of our childhood that relied on a steady hand (such as Buckaroo and Operation), we're not yet certain that a videogame version will capture the same ridiculous levels of tension, but still, three cheers for Tomy for at least trying! The chunky, colorful visuals are a great start, in our opinion.
Also on Nintendo of Japan's WiiWare page: Simple Series Vol. 2 The Number Puzzle Neo. If ever a series was designed especially for WiiWare, the cheap-but-cheerful Simple series would be it. Both of these will launch next Tuesday in Japan for 500 Wii Points each.
Update: Wow, that was fast. The controller is sold out. Uh, people must have way more money than we do. Send us one, plz?
If you're looking for more of an authentic experience when playing those Virtual Console games, then know that Play Asia is now allowing folks to order the Super Famicom Classic Controller. Of course, if you want that authentic experience, you're going to have to pay for it. The controller is going for a whopping $70 at the site. Frankly, we'd advise tracking down a SNES controller and doing one of those wireless hacks to the thing. It's got to cost a lot less than seventy freakin' dollars.
To promote the release of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes, Capcom is offering an exclusive Tatsunoko vs. Capcom 2009 calendar to retailers. The calendar will feature original artwork on each two-month page, as well as a Shinkiro cover that varies by store. The limited-edition calendars will be handed out with purchased copies of the game starting on the December 11 release date.
The Bic Camera/Sofmap version of the calendar features a group portrait, the Geo version features Ryu and Ken the Eagle, and the Imagine version's cover features Doronjo and Morrigan. And the exclusive "JC" edition features these preview images printed out and stapled together with some calendar pages from Word.
We think we're going to have to start reading or watching Bleach so we know what's going on in Bleach Versus Crusade and the DS fighting games. Our interest in the DS games has been motivated mostly by love of developer Treasure, and that is certainly driving our desire to play the Wii game as well. But we can't help but think that it would be nice to know who all these people are and why they're fighting.
Even as a context-free fighting game, however, we think Versus Crusade looks pretty nice. You can see for yourself in the latest batch of screens, originally posted on the official site, but visible in a much less annoying Flash interface on Wiiz.
We're not going to lie: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom looks like the greatest thing since sliced bread. We're seriously in love with the game, even if we can't understand any of the weird Japanese squiggles that permeate the entire title. That won't stop us from importing the game, however. Because if there's one thing we've learned, it's that the movement for a dragon punch breaks all language barriers. That and we want more Joe in our life. Also, Roll takes out the trash.
Head past the break to check out the video of her doing just that.
Although it doesn't take much to explain Prope's minimalist Let's Tap, Sega sent out this promotional video demonstrating its gameplay. This clip highlights the Rhythm Tapping, Tap Runner, and Visualizer modes, offering brief glimpses of other modes, including what appears to be a tapping-based shmup. For more Let's Tap
The overall message, delivered by a family playing together, is that it's quite possible for people of pretty much any age to enjoy Let's Tap together, which is, of course, the goal of many Wii games. Few other Wii games manage such a cool and futuristic look, or such a genuinely unique and interesting input method.
Apparently the family in the video enjoys Let's Tap so much that they purchased two copies, because the game only comes with two of those fancy boxes!
We didn't really need help to figure out that Play on Wii Mario Tennis GC (or Mario Power Tennis, as Camelot's mascot tennis game is known over here) would use Wiimote motion controls, since that is, like one hundred percent of the point of the Play on Wii series (and Wii tennis games, for that matter). But we welcome solid information anyway, which Japanese online retailer Neowing has provided.
According to the product description, Mario Tennis GC enables players to wave the Wii Remote to execute forehand and backhand shots and direct the ball toward the left or right side of the court. Motion will also determine the addition of topspin and slice spin. Buttons are still used to deploy each character's unique special moves.
If the (possible) second coming of Wii Sports tennis doesn't excite you, hang on to your GameCube version: Play on Wii Mario Tennis GC does not support GameCube controllers.
While it prepares to wheel out Club Nintendo in North America later this year, Nintendo has decided to torture us one last time with stuff we can't have.
Every year in Japan, Platinum and Gold members in the Japanese program get a free gift. This year, Platinum members have three to choose from, including the snazzy golden Wii Wheel you see above. This takes us back to GoldenEye's multiplayer, and us petulantly refusing to play unless we could steer Oddjob with the only gold-colored N64 controller in the house. Also up for grabs is a Super Mario Cap, which Nintendo reports is too big for girls and schoolkids (but not adult male bloggers), and a Club Nintendo Calendar 2009, which will be the only option for Gold members. That's better than our only option, which is to own nothing.
All very lovely then, and all very out of our reach ... but for how long? Go past the break for a look at the cap and calendar.
The Japanese Virtual Console releases this week are all relatively obscure. The most recognizable name in the lineup is Sonic the Hedgehog 2,and even that is the Master System version. These Master System Sonic games, by the way, aren't just ports of the Genesis games. They're basically original Sonic games from back when it was possible for those to be good!
The other games are a very early (the arcade version predates Super Mario Bros.) sidescrolling platformer-RPG and an upgraded Qix game.
Just one WiiWare release, and it's Hudson's online pool game. Hopefully it isn't terrible, because Wi-Fi pool with four players sounds like an awesome deal for five bucks.
Famitsu has revealed some of the extra hidden content in the gorgeous Wii remake of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. The extra "vision," an especially difficult level set in Balue's Tower, was present in the PlayStation game and remains unlockable in this version. In addition, Klonoa will be able to earn secret costumes by beating bosses in Time Attack mode. Perhaps the "new look" Klonoa will be included in these unlockables?
Players will also have the ability to unlock reversed versions of levels in which Klonoa starts from the end. Either these stages will have redesigned enemy layouts or other new content, or Famitsu is employing a bit of hyperbole by describing them as a "new adventure."
Let's Tap may be most widely known for its wacky input method (see: the title), but the more we see of it, the more we realize that its brilliant music is the true draw, and that the tapping is great mostly because it allows us to interact with that music.
These three videos feature Let's Tap's "Rhythm Tap" mode, a Taiko no Tatsujin/Donkey Konga-style rhythm game played with the high-tech "cardboard box" peripheral. This mode would probably be an entertaining diversion at best if not for the fact that the songs featured in those videos are awesome. Of course, one of them is the Let's Taptheme, which we already love.
Frontier Developments' WiiWare launch title LostWinds remains one of the highlights of the lineup ... in the US, Europe, and Australia. Good news for Japanese Wii owners: the platformer is finally scheduled for release in December, for 1,000 Wii Points. Good news for Frontier Developments (although we suspect they've heard this): Square Enix picked up the publishing rights to the game for Japan -- whatever it means to "publish" a WiiWare game.
LostWinds, which was published in other regions by Frontier themselves, will be the second WiiWare release from Square Enix, followingFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, and the first Square Enix WiiWare release from an external developer. We know we'd be pleased if a big, prestigious publisher like that showed confidence in our game! And if our game existed!
We're always looking for new games to enjoy. We've got plenty of other WiiWare reviews, if you're into that kind of thing.. If you're so crazy that you want to go to the store and buy something when you could be playing World of Goo orMega Man 9, we can help with that, too.
This month, Hori will release their own take on the Classic Controller, called, shockingly enough, the Hori Classic Controller. The new controller combines the designs of the GameCube and Classic controllers, with the former's general shape, stick layout and shoulder buttons, and the latter's face button layout and Wii-specific extra buttons. It also has individual autofire switches for each button, which make it look scary, like a mini Steel Battalion controller or something.
Black and white versions of this controller will be available starting November 27, and a light blue version will follow on December 4. All will cost 2,980 yen ($30.50). Play-Asia is currently taking preorders for $29.90.
This looks ideal for people who like the feel of the GameCube controller but hate the scrambled button layout -- or for people who want to artificially boost their performance in the myriad shmups on the VC.
You all know how we love puzzle games. This new WiiWare title that just released in Japan, Bomb Tapper, looks like gaming bliss. Josh over at WiiFolder was kind enough to put together some footage of the title, which we've gone ahead and embedded past the break due to player limitations. We're not sure of the odds this could ever make its way to North America, but we're willing to do unsavory acts in the hope that it would sometime in the future.
The new followup to We Ski may improve on the reality of the snowboarding and/or skiing experience. Aside from the obviously reduced costs associated with playing a Wii game versus taking a vacation, and the sharply reduced likelihood of serious falling-off-a-mountain-related injury, Family Ski: World Ski and Snowboard allows you to play a game of snowboard tag under the supervision of a guy in a dinosaur suit. We're glad to see the silly suits return.
Speaking of silliness, the new course in World Ski and Snowboard also features a gigantic donut to jump through. Also there are normal races and half-pipes and such, if you're interested in stuff like that.
Warning: you are now entering a Wii Fanboy nostalgia zone; if we get wrapped up in jabbering about our wholesome childhoods over the next 200 words, you've been warned. The cause of this trip down memory lane? The announcement that Tomy would be bringing a Pop-Up Pirate game to WiiWare. Yay!
